Side Effects
by fxngirling
Summary: This is the story of Jess' pregnancy and life afterward, and about how her husband Darcy reacts. Disclaimer: Heather Vogel Frederick owns the Mother-Daughter Book Club, not me.
1. Chapter 1 - What's Wrong?

**This is a fanfiction about Jess' pregnancy and her future life with Darcy. Enjoy!**

 **Side Effects**

It was late in the morning that Wednesday; too late for the rest of the world, but too early for Jess. It hadn't even been because she'd stayed up late the previous night. It was quite the opposite. The young professor Hawthorne had fallen asleep at her desk grading before ten o'clock, her arms draped in a crisscross pattern next to the desk lamp still shining brightly, her hair still neatly braided as it usually was, her formal dress clothes still unchanged for some of her husband's old shirts because they smelled like him. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her and dashed to the bathroom, only to spill last night's dinner into the toilet.

Though there were no dark circles under Jessica Hawthorne's eyes, she felt as if she could fall asleep at any given moment. She had woken up as her alarm sounded at seven in the morning. The sorrowful drown of the alarm was one of the only sounds she'd heard at the house for two days. Her husband Darcy, also a professor, was away with his American History class visiting Washington, D.C. for four days. It would be two more days before she saw his face again or heard his familiar, deep voice.

Their home was hollow without his presence, and Jess could feel the empty echo left behind in everything she did. She'd woken up this morning dreaming of his tan skin and kind words, but only saw the resentful black screen of her laptop. Even though Jess had slept for nearly ten hours, she felt as if she'd stayed up all night.

She would never tell Darcy; she'd hate to make him worry, but she'd been a complete wreck since he'd boarded the plane with his students, and even for some time before. Exhaustion overwhelmed her small figure like a bully over a victim. Yawn after yawn escaped her mouth. Yesterday morning, Jess had even been awake for a few minutes when she felt nausea sweep through her system as she ran to the bathroom and had thrown up twice in the toilet. Jess wasn't sure if she was just lonesome for her husband, or if she needed to seek medical help, but she was worried. She knew that these weren't the most serious signals, but she at least had enough common sense to know that being this tired after sleeping so long was not normal, and that nausea wasn't helpful either.

Thankfully, Jess hadn't felt sick after yesterday morning, and she was only a little bit sick this morning. Maybe she was just getting one of those 24-hour-bugs. Jess forced herself to accept that as the truth. Innocently brushing away the fear, Jess smiled and looked out the door. Today was Dartmouth's football game, and it was a tradition for the players' girlfriends to wear jerseys. So, though Darcy was away, Jess wore his green-and-white assistant coach's jersey with "Hawthorne" and the number 23 written across the back. After all, it was her last name too.

The drowsiness had managed to pass temporarily as Jess' first class of the morning streamed into the room. She taught chemistry and was one of Dartmouth's choir teachers. The acapella girls and boys choir had practice, and the impending concert in a few weeks. Yes, Jess did understand that everybody was absolutely sick and tired of singing in other languages such as Latin and Italian, but they needed practice.

Speaking of tired, Jess's wave of energy had disappeared like an ocean tide withdrawing from a beach. Suddenly snapping to attention, she lifted her baton and began to direct their first and easiest song. Though class only lasted an hour, it felt like an entire day to Jess, dragging on second after second.

Finally, Jess's two choir classes and three chemistry classes had all finished. She had at least a hundred tests to grade, but the day was over. Picking up her tan purse, swinging it over her sleeve, and readjusting her glasses, Jess felt very accomplished. While stifling yet another yawn, she worried yet again as she felt fatigue settle in again. When would the endless cycle of energy and sleepiness be over?

A ringing sound arising from Jess' purse let her take her mind of her troubles. Seeing it was Darcy, she quickly answered without hesitation, though Jess had chosen to not bring up her health with him. Darcy might worry, and Jess was fully capable of taking care of herself anyways.

"Jess! How are you?" His deep voice calmed and stressed her out at the same time.

"Hey, Darcy! How's DC?" She laughed casually, pretending to be fine.

He answered, "Oh, it's wonderful. I miss Concord, though, and you most of all." Jess was so accustomed to his voice that it sounded like he was right next to her, even though they were both fully aware that they were hundreds of miles away.

Jess yawned twice into the phone receiver. "Oh, well, at least we'll see each other Friday afternoon."

There was a pause on Darcy's side of the phone while he was thinking. "Are you alright, love?"

"Um, yeah! Perfectly fine. Just a little tired, Darce." Jess bluffed and acted casual. She hoped Darcy couldn't tell she was faking over the phone.

"If you say so, darling." Darcy's words said one thing, but Jess could hear that he wasn't fully convinced. "Alright, I have to go now. We're touring some museums."

"Mmmkay. Bye now! I love you." Jess answered.

"I love you too. Bye! See you Friday afternoon." Darcy hung up and Jess sat there for a moment.

She was half-relieved that Darcy wasn't talking to her, because the last thing she wanted was for him to worry while he was supposed to be relaxing in Washington D. C. On the other hand, there was nothing she wanted more than for him to cuddle up with her on their new white couch with blankets, pizza, and a nice Disney movie. However, she was marooned at home, all alone, with tests to grade and music to revise. Life felt empty without Darcy.

Out of her ajar door Jess could espy Darcy's empty classroom. Or should she say Professor Hawthorne, but that was far too responsible for beautiful, silly, reckless Darcy. He'd always just be "Darcy" or simply "Darce." Besides, she was Professor Hawthorne too, Jess thought, as she stroked her wedding ring.

Jess figured that there was no use in staying at Dartmouth if Darcy wasn't there with her. It was always nice when they stayed after school…alone together. They would grade papers together, and sometimes even switch stacks when they got tired of the same reiterated essay or test. She'd complain about how bad she looked in her new glasses (Jess had gotten them this year and still hadn't adjusted to them) and Darcy would grin that stupid perfect cunning boyish grin and loudly whisper-scream "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL" into her ear. Then he'd steal her glasses and parade around the room, wearing them and refusing to return them by holding them above her head.

"Why, Jessica Elizabeth Hawthorne, I thought you _abhorred_ these glasses!"

They'd make eight-o'clock trips to the vending machine together and try to decide on a snack they both enjoyed. She was a health nut, he had a bit of a sweet tooth. Needless to say, to compromise was difficult.

Jess missed Darcy terribly, as much as she hated to admit it, so she took her belongings and drove home.

Sighing slowly, Jess sat down at her desk at home with a pounding headache and a stack of tests to grade. She worked for more than an hour, sifting through bad handwriting and incorrect answers, and couldn't begin to imagine how thoroughly exhausted she was. Was her office supposed to look like it was spinning around and around on Earth's axis? It certainly shouldn't have.

Jess finally finished after nearly two hours of insufferable grading. She took a break for a snack and a quick drink of stood up to go to the kitchen, the office changed from tilting on Earth's axis to being bounced around like a little rag doll by some mythical monster. Thankfully, she was able to cling onto the edge of her desk.

Jess cautiously sat back down, flummoxed, after one or two minutes passed and it was safe to resume movement again. The dizzy spell was over at long last, but Jess still was unable to make sense of what was happening to her…or why.

A group of symptoms such as nausea, sleepiness, and dizzy spells left a wide margin of possible disorders and diseases to be diagnosed with. Anything could be happening to her right now and Jess would be left completely unaware. So Jess only groaned as she stood back up to get something to eat. Maybe she was just stressed out by Darcy's absence and her difficult work at the moment. Hopefully that was the case, but Jess wasn't convinced.

She couldn't go see a doctor about this. First of all, this wasn't a particularly good time. Darcy was far away on a trip, and he'd worry about Jess. Also, doctor's appointments were expensive and difficult to manage between hers and Darcy's packed schedules. They'd agreed to not go unless it was necessary because they'd only been married for two years and were trying to save up enough money for a family later on.

Lunging and grabbing the calendar, Jess flipped through the pages, checking to see when she and Darcy had last been to the doctor's. It was early April, so Jess turned back to March. Hadn't there been the week in March when Darcy had that terrible cold? She remembered having to force him back into bed with a cup of tea while he protested, sneezing and sniffling in between sentences.

There was no "doctor's appointment" written in March, and Jess smiled as she remembered that she'd stayed home and taken care of him for a few days. She checked February but still didn't see anything written there about going to the doctor's.

However, a little pink flower was drawn in the corner of February 22nd. It was the doodle Jess used to mark down her time of the month. Her eyes widened and Jess madly scrambled back to March. There wasn't any mark.

Her period was late.


	2. Chapter 2 - Finding Out

**Welcome to Chapter 2! This will be the chapter when Jess investigates her pregnancy more with Emma's help. Enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own the Mother-Daughter Book Club or any of its characters (ha! I wish.) They belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.**

 **Jess' POV**

 **Side Effects: Chapter 2**

I gasp and dropp the calendar. My period is more than a month late. I've always dreamed of having a family, especially with Darcy, but we didn't planned on having children yet. It was a mutual decision that we'd focus more on our work at Dartmouth before our family. After all, it had only been two years since our wedding. A baby was out of the question.

You couldn't change a pregnancy. It wasn't like a choice you could unmake, or an action you can undo. And that choice and that action were far less life-changing than a baby was. Lives changed because of a child. Mothers needed to stay home and take care of their child, or even children. Fathers had to earn more, and pay more attention to their families.

Darcy and I can't have a baby. A family was supposed to start later, after our careers had calmed down, when we were older. I was only thirty-one, and Darcy was thirty-three. We're too young to have children. Being a professor's a lot of work, and we both want to concentrate on work.

 _I can't have a baby_ , I thought. _It'd change my life so much. I'd change Darcy's life too._ I don't _want everything to change. What about being professors at Dartmouth? I'd have to stay home with the baby. Darcy might need a job that was better suited for the baby. Oh goodness, I can't be pregnant._

It wasn't that I didn't want a baby. As a little girl, I'd been overjoyed when the twins were born. Children were bundles of joy. But I wanted to look at somebody else's bundle of joy. I couldn't be a mother. What about teaching chemistry at Dartmouth and helping out on the choir? My job was important to me too. Everything was spinning out of control with my possible pregnancy. Everything would change.

I take a deep breath and think, _It's not even confirmed, Jess. Maybe stress is just keeping your period away._ I doubt that was true, because my period was always on time, but it still calmed me down a little. Reaching for my phone, I call Emma. She picks up on the first ring. "Hi Emma, it's Jess."

"Hey Jess! How are you?"

Emma's four months pregnant with her first baby, so I thought she could give me advice.

"Um, I'm good, but there's something I really need to talk to you about." I say quietly.

"Okay…" Emma's voice has uncertainty.

"Do you remember when you first thought you were pregnant and I came over to help but I didn't know where to get pregnancy tests so Stewart bought you a lot?" I wince. Rambling when nervous is one of my bad habits.

"Yes, I do remember. He bought two of every kind. It must have been ten or twenty of them!" Emma answers, laughing. She was trying to cheer me up, I could tell, but it wasn't working.

"Do you have any left?" I ask awkwardly. Thank goodness Darcy's away on the Washington D.C. field trip and Stewart's at a writing conference for reporters.

"Yes, I have at least ten or eleven left…wait, are you _PREGNANT_?" Emma's voice hit the roof as it climaxed.

"Maybe. That's what I'm trying to find out." I say quietly. I was both excited and paranoid that I could be having Darcy Hawthorne's baby.

"I thought you two were going to wait before trying for a family!" Emma says, less loudly. "I mean, not to make you feel bad or anything…I'd love to see you and Darcy with kids, but…I'm just confused."

Despite what Emma says, I wince. We have been waiting to begin our family. We have not yet started to try for a baby. We didn't use protection, because we didn't think it was that necessary, but…we never thought I'd be pregnant, either.

Somewhere Darcy is sitting in a random hotel in Washington D.C., unaware that he's probably going to be a father in eight or nine months. However, here I am, in a house in Concord, stressing on the phone to my sister-in-law and best friend that I might have a child.

"Listen, can I just come over? I really need to company. And, you're pregnant, so maybe you can help me figure everything out." I plead desperately, hoping Emma says yes.

"Sure! Come as soon as you can. Stewart's gone, so it'll be just us." Thankfully, Emma's as hospitable as she was back in sixth grade. I'm so glad we're sister-in-laws.

Panicking, I quickly go to my car and drive to Emma and Stewart's house. I'm still wearing Darcy's green-and-white football jersey and my hair's a tangled, blonde mess, but it didn't matter. Racing up the pathway, I quickly ring their bell.

Emma arrives after several moments. Like I said, she's four months pregnant with baby number one, so I wanted her help with my pregnancy. Goodness, that sounds so weird. _My pregnancy._

"Sorry about the delay, Jess. I was just finishing up a short call from Stewart. He's in Philadelphia at that reporter's conference, so he wanted to know how I was doing." Emma says happily. She's been giddy even since she found out she's having a baby.

I laugh a little. Stewart, on the other hand, has done nothing but fuss about Emma since he found out he'd be a father in a few months. "Don't worry about it! Stewart would go crazy if he didn't manage to fit in one call to you and the baby every hour, don't you think?"

Emma giggles. "He's not that bad, is he?"

I smirk. "Check your call history. I'll bet that the last time Stewart called was…around two or three hours ago." Emma shows me the phone and laughs as she realizes that I'm correct.

She smiles down at her belly. "Well, you know how protective Stewart is. And he keeps apologizing for leaving for two weeks because I'm just starting to show a baby bump. I'm going to need maternity clothes soon."

Emma lifts up the edge of her oversize shirt and lets me feel the bump. She and Stewart agreed to let Darcy and me be the baby's godparents, and of course, we're the aunt and uncle too.

"Hi, baby! This is your aunt and godmother Jess. How are you?" I say, rather loudly.

"The baby can't hear you, Jess." Says Emma, laughing. "Ooh! Can I be the godmother of your baby?"

I gulp but still remain optimistic. "Em, I don't even know if I'm pregnant. I could just be sick."

Emma grins and looks down at her belly, then back at me. She's a lot more enthusiastic about her pregnancy than I am about mine. If I'm even pregnant in the first place, that is.

"Soo…about your pregnancy." Emma says, changing the topic.

Blushing, I reply, "Emma! Stop calling it that! You know, I _could_ be sick. Maybe I have the stomach flu or something." After all, I am married to her brother. It's a little embarrassing. Darcy and I are married, but…you know, the whole baby topic's still awkward.

She guides me to their living room, where we sit down on her new brown couch. "How do you feel?" Emma asks, with a friendly smile.

"Um…I've been sort of nauseous in the mornings…I've had a few dizzy spells. And my period's late by more than a month." I reply, with a nervous tone in my voice.

Emma smiles and says,"Well, it sounds like you're pregnant to me. The symptoms all match up. The morning sickness, dizzy spells…and naturally, your period didn't come either." She looks like a sunny day while I feel like a miserable rainstorm. A rainstorm that has to tell her professor husband about the pregnancy and just might lose her career for a baby.

"Do you want to find out for sure?" She asks gently.

Gulping once again, I nod swiftly. Emma hands me three pregnancy tests and I head for the bathroom. The world spins, not only because I'm anxious but also because of yet another dizzy spell.

I quickly go into the bathroom. My heart is racing and I feel like I'm on stage in front of everyone, back in sixth grade during Beauty and the Beast. And yes, I know I'm alone, but that doesn't make anything better. I could be having a baby. I could ruin my career, not to mention my husband's. Our whole world could be flipped upside down, and these tests are going to confirm or deny it.

After peeing on the sticks, I carefully look at the tests and feel a chilling shock run through my body. All three tests have two lines running through them. **I'm pregnant.**

I think I'm petrified. This pregnancy wasn't planned. I mean, Darcy and I planned to have a baby or two later, but the timing of my pregnancy is years off. I can't be carrying his _baby_.

Emma's there waiting for me when I finally emerge from behind the bathroom door. "Well?" she asks, clearly happy for me. Too bad I'm not even half as calm or cheerful.

A glazed look runs over my stony, blue eyes. I feel like I'm ready to collapse onto Emma's hardwood floor. "I'm…I'm p-pregnant." I manage to stutter out, amidst all the confusion going on in my life. "The tests all said…they said…positive."

As I say these words, I want to cry. Everything about my life is going to change. I'm going to have to go on maternity leave and probably eventually going to have to quit my job for my son or daughter. Darcy's going to have to change his life and his job, too, to be a father.

Emma begins to hurriedly congratulate me on my pregnancy, but she catches on quickly to my sadness. With a confused expression on her face, she asks, "Aren't you happy? You're probably going to be a mom! And I'll be an aunt! And maybe a godmother!"

My heart plummets even further. I _should_ be happy. Mothers are supposed to be happy and joyful and generally very excited. When my mom found out she was having me, she was ecstatic, and so was my dad. Emma and Stewart were the same way. The difference is, I'm not my mother, or Emma, and Darcy's not my father, or Stewart.

"I'm not like you, Emma. Darcy and I are professors. We commute every day to Dartmouth and then commute back home, where we make dinner and sometimes grade and fall asleep." I feel like a deer, caught on the road, between the headlights of two cars. "It's easy for you and Stewart. You're an author; he's a reporter. You can stay home all day with the baby and work as well. Stewart can investigate, then come home and write his article. I can't teach from home, and neither can Darcy. But I can't jeopardize either of our careers because of a baby!" All of my worried begin to pour out of me.

I think I'm about to cry. My thick blonde hair, still in its messy braid from this morning, becomes wet with my tears, and suddenly I'm sobbing in the Chadwicks' house with my husband in Washington D.C. and with a baby on the way.

Emma leads me to the living room and she sits down next to me on the brown couch. "Jess, it'll be okay. Pregnancy isn't the end of the world. In fact, it's the start of a whole new one. You're having a baby."

Her words help calm me down, but I'm still spilling tears all over Darcy's jersey. Sure, it's easy for _her_ to say that pregnancy is a miracle and that the beginning of your status as parent is a beautiful journey to make with your husband. When you work at home, and your husband can too, a baby doesn't change everything that can be changed in your life.

"D-Darcy's going to kill me." I say, while wiping my eyes on my shirt. "It's all my fault. I mean, I was on the birth control pill, but I have f-forgotten it a few times."

Emma leans in for a hug and says, "Darcy adores you. Trust me; he'll be as happy as Stewart is that he'll be a dad soon. Do you think he'd ever be mad that he was going to have a child? You know him. Darcy loves kids!"

These moments are what best friends/sister-in-laws are for.

I sniff and wipe my eyes again. "You think so, Emma?"

"I'm sure of it." Emma nods assuredly. "Also, this is not your fault. Never tell yourself that."

Pulling the edge of my tear-soaked jersey down, I'm able to say, "Thanks for everything, Emma. You're the best. Really, I mean it."

Even though I'm still a little anxious, I'm really grateful to Emma for helping me calm down.

I look down at my flat belly and say, "Hi, baby! This is your mommy here. Daddy's away on a trip, but I want you to meet your aunt and godmother Emma!"

"Really?!" Emma asks, with a wild but ecstatic look on her face. She then yells, "Hi, baby! Meet your cousin! Also, I'm your aunt/godmother Emma!"

"The baby can't hear you, Emma." I say, smirking.

As I leave the Chadwicks' home later tonight, I feel a lot more assured. I think that everything will be okay. We'll be able to work things out, I'm sure.

Now all I have to do is wait for Darcy to get back from Washington D.C. and tell him.


	3. Chapter 3 - Dartmouth

**In this chapter, Jess will go teach at Dartmouth and we'll see how her life will change because of the baby. It's currently Thursday, and Darcy gets back Friday afternoon. Includes throwing up;** **don't read if you get queasy easily.**

 **Side Effects: Chapter 3**

Jess woke up alone in her bed, still shocked from last night. _I'm going to be a mother,_ she thought. And _Darcy's going to be a father._ Even though it would be tough to tell Darcy, Jess knew that he would be okay with it. Darcy loved kids….right? After all, that's what Emma had said. Taking a few deep breaths, Jess reminded herself again that everything would be okay. Then she looked down at her flat stomach and thought of her and Darcy's little boy or girl.

Feeling a tremble pass through her system, Jess got up and ran to the bathroom as fast as she could. Morning sickness: the wonderful stage of the first trimester when the mother can't keep anything down. Emma had told Jess all about it during her first months. Jess threw up once, wiped her mouth, and continued to get ready for school. She couldn't afford to lost time today.

A quick glance at the clock told Jess that she had to hurry up or she'd miss the bus to Dartmouth. She ran a hairbrush through her still-thick, blonde hair and brushed her teeth. Throwing on a royal blue dress, white flats, and the crystal necklace Darcy gave her for their first anniversary, Jess grabbed her bag, some breakfast, and drove frantically to the bus station.

Finally, Jess was on the bus. A heavily pregnant woman stood next to her, and Jess offered her a seat. Luckily, Jess managed to get another seat and began to plan the choreography for our choir show. _That'll be me in six or seven months_ , Jess thought.

As she finished planning choreography, Jess's stop at Dartmouth arrived and she, along with many professors and students, got off.

"It's going to be a long day," Jess muttered, stepping onto the schoolgrounds and sighing. She looked down at her flat stomach and thought of her and Darcy's baby. How was she supposed to just bring up the prospect of a kid, out of the blue? Hopefully, Jess could find a way to slip it in casually.

She got into the science lab and started to set up for her first chemistry class of the day. Later, Jess had to assist with two choir classes and then come back for another two chemistry classes. After a few peaceful minutes alone, her students rushed into class, and chemistry began.

The time flew by. First period chemistry was always the fastest. Next, Jess rushed down to the choir hall and looked at her music notes. She was assistant choir director at Dartmouth, but she still had to show up to every class, rehearsal, and show.

Second and third period choir were torture, as nearly a hundred students per choir harmonized and sang loudly with ringing voices. Jess had never felt so burdened in her life. Songs in multiple languages danced around in her head, filling her mind with phrases in Latin, Italian, French, and English. A few minutes into class, Jess excused herself and went to the restroom to get a break from choir.

Suddenly, she felt a lurch and vomited this morning's breakfast into the toilet. Jess felt groggy, yet she had no choice but to carry on. Needless to say, the two choir classes weren't half as much because of the pregnancy.

After choir ended, Jess had to race back to the chemistry lab for the last two classes of the day. She crossed her fingers and hoped that everything would go smoothly. The first chemistry class, fourth period, was as normal as could be. They reviewed concepts from the previous lesson and began a lab.

The fifth and last class of the day was kind of different.

Jess dismissed her earlier class and proceeded to set up the lab for the next class. Everything seemed smooth and orderly. The serene peace of the empty lab area felt wonderful after experiencing rambunctious choir class.

The calm of the class was suddenly interrupted by an announcement over the loudspeaker. Beeping loudly twice, it messaged, _would all the students and staff please come to the front doors of Dartmouth, please. Thank you._

Wondering what in the world was the reason that everyone in the school had to come, Jess sighed, looked down at her stomach, and headed out to the front of the school.

Jess glanced towards the parking lot and waved at Miss Rachel Thompson, an art history professor that she'd made friends with since coming to work at Dartmouth. She, unlike Jess, was single, though they were around the same age.

Elizabeth motioned for Jess to come talk to her in the shade under a pillar, and Jess followed.

"Anything you want to talk to me about, Rachel?" Jess questioned.

"Nothing much, just wondering what you think could be so important to draw the whole school out." Rachel answered, her dark skin glowing warm from the sunlight.

"I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it's something for the students, like some assembly for the seniors?" Jess reciprocated.

"Still, I don't see why everyone would have to come outside." Rachel said, a little unauthentically. Jess could see that she was expertly holding back a laugh.

"Well, I don't see why everyone would have to come out here…" Jess said, uncomfortably. What was going on? Everything seemed so mysterious.

Someone clasped their hands over Jess's eyes, and she could hear the receding footsteps of Rachel's heels. Even while blind, Jess could smell familiar cologne. She grinned and pushed away the hands blocking her view.

"Darcy Nicholas Hawthorne!" she exclaimed loudly, with hints of fear in her voice. Jess, after all, had only just found out that she was carrying a baby, and Darcy (hopefully) didn't have any clue yet. She tried to pass off the anxiety as excitement, though. Darce would never stop worrying if he knew how nervous she truly was.

Jess cleared her throat and smoothed out her clothes, trying not to draw attention to her stomach. "So, um, you're home early." She suggested awkwardly, while Darcy looked amused.

"Yes, I'm glad you noticed." He replied, with a subtle smirk replacing the smile on his face. "We got to go home early because some students misbehaved in D.C. However, it's not too much of a drawback, since I get to see more of you."

Feeling the red blush creep upon her face, Jess gulped and smiled. "Oh, how nice! Too bad tomorrow's _Friday_ , though…because we…have work."

The fact didn't seem to upset Darcy a bit. Jess had been trying to come up with an excuse as to why they couldn't spend time together, but Darce only pointed out that he had all of tomorrow off, since the American History group had gotten back to Dartmouth a day early. She loved him and all, but it was just so _uncomfortable_ knowing that she was pregnant and that they hadn't planned on that.

Also, Jess had wanted to escape the lonely house of the Hawthornes and desperately wanted to be with Emma, her lifelong best friend and now fellow mother-to-be, who could give her advice and help and would understand in a way that both Darcy and Stewart didn't.

Now, though, Darcy was home and he had the next day off and Jess herself was pregnant with his baby and nothing made sense.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and Darcy walked Jess out to her car. The school day was over, and stress was once again upon her.


End file.
